Win / Loss Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story

“People sometimes ask, “What’s your win/loss record?” That can be misleading. The better question is, “What were you able to do for your client?” I tell people sometimes, based on what the evidence is, there’s nothing I can do to prevent a conviction, but maybe the sentence is going to be different or a lesser offense. A number of my clients, after a jury trial, get convicted of a lesser included offense, or the prosecutor may agree to let them plead to a lesser included offense than what they’re charged with. It depends on the circumstance. It’s much more different than in a civil arena, where it’s wins and losses.

Ultimately the decision to resolve a case is my clients, based on the information we’ll discuss and how we want to resolve a case. The same is true in a domestic case. We look at the case with a critical eye and determine what is the best result that we can get and what are they looking for. And the object is to get them as close to that result as I can. (Yes, he was convicted, but instead of going to prison for life, he went for 7 years.)

Most defendants and families understand that it’s not always win/loss – it’s about what we are able to get done for our client. Coming in, I am upfront with them. I don’t tell them only what they want to hear, I tell them what I believe, and so they understand that. There are a number of attorneys who will tell people what they want to hear to get them to hire them. And that leads to problems. But I am honest with my clients, upfront, and I help them through the situation. Very few of my clients are upset with me.”

A Reputation Earned in the Courts

“I am well-known to the judges and prosecutors. That’s where a reputation for honesty and integrity come in. When you’re dealing with a prosecutor about how you’re going to resolve a case or get a case dismissed, your reputation for honesty is important. The prosecutor and judge can rely on your word when you tell them something, because they have come to know you. They know my reputation, they know that I’m not going to tell them something that isn’t accurate.

My law office is myself and a secretary. I choose the cases I want to take, so that I can pay attention to all my cases. When you hire me, that’s who you’re going to have working on your case.”